In Northern Minnesota, there’s a place where memories are born. The Ojibwe and early settlers called it Winnibigoshish. Today, locals call it Lake Winnie.

Located in the Chippewa National Forest and surrounded by hundreds of square miles of lush marshlands, gently rolling hills and diverse woodlands, Lake Winnie is comprised of 67,000 acres of clear, cool water. It’s the fifth largest lake in Minnesota, and 95 percent of its more than 140 shoreline miles are undeveloped.

What’s more, Lake Winnie is surrounded by other lakes such as Cut Foot Sioux, Little Cut Foot, Dixon Lake and Little Winnie. These lakes add diversity and beauty to this spectacular area. Guests and locals alike agree that the Lake Winnie area is one of a kind!

Fishing
Ah yes. World-class fishing. There's a reason why Lake Winnie, Cut Foot Sioux and Little Winnie have been featured in several popular angling magazines. The three lakes almost always send an angler home with their supper or at least a memory of a terrific battle. In fact, the Minnesota record muskie was caught in Lake Winnibigoshish in 1957 weighing in at 54 pounds.

Dave Holmbeck, of Great Lakes Fisherman Magazine, said: "Winnie, more than any other body of water, is the bread and butter fishing lake of northern Minnesota."

"Lake Winnie is one of the absolute jewels of Minnesota." – Tom Neustrom, local fishing guide

With plenty of shallow water, the lakes in the Winnie area offer an abundance of walleye habitat. Many of our walleyes weigh in at three to four pounds, and others are bigger yet. The lakes also hold high numbers of northern, muskie, perch, crappie and bass. Bring your own boat, rent one or take a guided fishing expedition with seasoned pros.

In the winter, find yourself an icehouse, and drop in a line. Yes, you can fish through the ice. It's true, winters are cold in northern Minnesota. But, one of the best ways to fight off the winter blues is to hole up in an icehouse with your closest fishing pals.

On Lake Winnie, you can catch walleye and jumbo perch. If you prefer to spear, you can go after lunker northern.

The best part? There's always a place to take off the boots and warm your feet by a crackling fire. Many of the area's resorts are open during the winter. The fish are always biting.

Activities
Unique, tourist- friendly communities within an hours drive from the Lake Winnie area, offer a variety of activities and attractions.  Bemidji, Cass Lake, Deer River, and Grand Rapids showcase musical productions, historical sites, museums, movie theatres, restaurants, art galleries, gift shops, antique dealers, mini golf courses, bowling alleys, riding stables and more.  These towns also host seasonal festivals and craft fairs, and sporting events from biathlons and triathlons to canoe races and ski jumping.  Multiple championship golf courses and casinos are just a short drive from the Lake Winnie area. 

If you prefer a quieter pace, try exploring the Chippewa National Forest - the first national forest established east of the Mississippi River.  It encompasses nearly 1.6 million acres with almost 1,300 lakes - including all 70,000 acres of Lake Winnibigoshish and Cutfoot Sioux.  The Chippewa National Forest boasts 100+ miles of forest trails allowing abundant opportunity for berry picking, wildlife viewing, mountain biking, fall color observing, hunting and cross country skiing.